Respirators and facial hair is based on SCIENCE and NOT OSHA's desire to make workers shave
One of the sad trends we continue to see in OSH centers around the use of respirators and facial hair. OSHA has stated more times that I can count on two hands that facial hair is NOT allowed in the face-to-mask seal area. In fact, personnel are NOT even permitted to be fit-tested if they have facial hair. And yet we still see personnel who are in respirator programs with full beards; this year we have even seen workers with full beards wearing respirators in clear violation of their company's policy/procedures. The argument put forth is the same lame argument I have been hearing for nearly 30 years (going all the way back to my days as a firefighter)... '"I can get a good seal with my beard, so why can't I XXXXXXX". The answer is simple and can be stated in a one-word response: CONSISTENCY. Even though a worker passed a fit test (albeit improperly) with some facial hair, the length and thickness of that facial hair will not be the same weeks/months later. This can be seen clearly from the 1983 study by McGee and Oestenstad where they tested this theory. And yes, a lot has changed since 1983; however, facial hair on humans has NOT! Here are the scientific studies OSHA/NIOSH have used over the years: |
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